Casket-handle.



'J. H. MILLS.

GASKET HANDLE. APPLICATION 11.31) MARJ'I, 1908.

900,569, I Patented 001;. 6,1908.

/An 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. F

J; H. MILLSJ GASKET HANDLE. APPLIOATION FILED MAR.17,1908.

, Patented 0ct.6,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOSEPH H. MILLS, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

CASKETHANDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908 Application filed March 17, 1908. Serial No. 421,664.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn H. MILLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casket-Handles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to handles for caskets and the object thereof is to provide ahandle of such construction and made of such material as toserve as a substitute for and to have advantages over the metallic form of handles usually employed for this purpose. In my new handle, only the hinges are made of metal, the remainder being made of wood, composition or the like, but in case composition is used, the handle bar may be reinforced in suitable manner as by a metal rod. In

the present instance, however, the handle bar and other parts excepting the hinge is formed of wood and the hinge is of novel and original constructiomthe same being peculiarly adapted and arranged for the particular character or use. Moreover, provision is made to conceal the hinges by means which give the appearance of a casket handle'of solid wood construction, but which has all the strength of the metallic casket handle, besides which an appearance of extreme strength and solidity 1s im )arted. Furthermore, any desired design of handle structure may be easily and economicallyprovided as desired, or in order to harmonize with the casket. V

The various features of advantage and utility in my casket handle will be apparent from the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a casket showing three of my handles attached; Fig. 2' a perspectiveof one of the hinges; Fig. 3 asection on the line 33 of Fig. 7; Fig. 4 a rear elevation of a part of one of the base plates of the handle structure illustrating a portion of one of the hinges; Fig. 5 an elevation of the handle structure showing removed one of the pieces or shields for concealing the hinges; Fig. 6' 6-'6 of Fig. 5 showing a section on the line the handle proper lowered position; Fig. 6 but showing the handle bar in itsraised or operative position; and Fig. 8 an enlarged perspective view of one of the slneldsor blocks which conceal the hinges.

Referring to the present embodiment'of or bar in its normal or my invention as illustrated in the drawings Fig. 7 a view similar to I ened by means of the p which represent my preferred construction, each handle structure comprises a base portion 1, a bar or handle proper marked 2, and a air .of hln 'es connecting said base plate and the handie bar.

These parts are in the present instance made of wood, although as 'hereinbefore stated the same may be made of composition, provided the handle bar is given the requisite strength by suitable reinforcing-means. The base plate is shaped or carved to any desired design and is adapted to be secured to the side of the casket in any suitable manner, as by means of the screws 3, which also ass through a portion of the hinges, as hereinafter described, it being understood that these base plates are secured to the caskets after they have been covered with cloth or the like in the usual manner. However, so far as my invention in its broader aspect is concerned, the base plate is not essential, consequently those claims not including-the same as an element are not to be limited thereto. Likewise the handle bar 2 may be made of any suitable design and may have at its ends any ornamentation, as for instance the knobs 2, which ifdesired may be detachable so as to enable knobs of different ornamentation, as selected, to be used with the same handle. The handle bar is hinged to the base plate 1 by means of two hinges of the form clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. As shown, each hinge comprises two members or leaves which, in the resent instance, are formed of sheet meta plates bent to proper form for the purose in View. The stationary member or eaf consists of a sheet metal plate having a portion reversely bent to form two parallel arms 4 and also having flat portions or plates 5'. The fiat portion 5 is secured in a recess on the back face of the base plate 1, Fig. 4, while the arms 4 which form the leaf proper pass through a slot in the base plate and extend into a socket, portion 1 formed on the front of the base plate adjacent the stationary leaf of each hinge. It is of advantage to thus locate these hinge plates between the casket side and the base plate, inasmuch as such arrangement provides for firm anchoring of the member of'the hinge and revents buckling of the plates. The movab e leaf or member of the hingeis formed of a flat metal plate 6, which extends between the arms 4 and is pivoted thereto by means of the pin or rivet 7. This plate 6 is referably strengthate8, which is rehandle bar 2.

versely bent so as to substantially encompass said. plate 6 and to also serve as a stop for the hinge when in its uppermost or operative position, at which time the upper edge of said plate 8 will contact the front edge of said arms 4. This movable leaf here shown as comprising the plates 6 and 8 is secured to the handle bar through the medium of a socket piece 9 consisting of a sheet metal plate reversely bent and secured to the lower end of said movable leaf by means of a rivet 10. This socket piece is received in a transverse groove or channel 9 in the handle bar and by preference the free ends are shaped as flanges 11 which are received in the recesses on the front side of the handle bar. By preference, a short cross plate 12 is arranged in said recess and fitted upon said flanges and secured to the handle bar by the same screws 13 which secure the socket piece 9 thereto. This plate 12, thus bridging over the channel or groove 9, gives the desired strength at these points and overcomes any loss of strength due to said grooving of the handle bar.

It will be understood that the handle structure as thus far described will be practical and eflicient, but the hinges will be exposed and will not give an attractive and pleasing ap )earance. To overcome this objection, an to also increase the efficiency of the hinges, each hinge. Each block is made as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8 and in order to adapt it to the hinge the upper portion thereof is provided with a vertical slot or groove 14*, which receives the leaves of the hinge, the upper rounding portion of each block 14 being received in the sockets 1 of the base plate. The lower portion of each block is formed to receive the handle proper, the eX- treme lower portion 13 thereof engaging the under side of the handle proper and thus pr viding means of attachment thereto as by means of the screws 15 passing through the portion 14 of each block and entering the The blocks are ornamented or carved according to any desired design and when in place completely conceal the hinges and give an appearance of themselves serving as hinges. These blocks incidentally perform additional functions, first in that their grooves 14 not only strengthen the hinges but prevent buckling of the leaves and second in that the shoulders 14 on the outer surfaces of each block, by contacting the surfaces 1' of the base plate, assist the stop device of the hinges when the handle is raised to its uppermost and operative position, although said stop devices will be found sufficient for this purpose.

It will be understood that while the handle bar 2 should be made of any suitable material or materials of a character to give the requisite strength, the blocks 14 may be provide the blocks 14, one formade of any desired material, such as some plastic composition, for it is primarily designed that such blocks shall simply constitute a means for concealing the hinges, and shall not be subjected to any strain. In the present instance, however, I employ wood for the handle bar and also the base plate.

My handle structure made as herein described, has, in addition to the advantages already stated, the further advantage of being more showy and of taking up more space or area (which is desired by purclnisers) than the ordinary metal handles, which advantage is obtained at less expense than possible with such metal handles.

I claim:

1. A casket handle comprising a handle proper, hinges therefor, and removable pieces adapted to be applied to the hinges for con ceahng them, said hinges being arranged to take the strain and acting independently of said pieces; substantially as described.

2. A casket handle, comprising ahandle proper, hinges therefor, and removable pieces adapted to be applied to the hinges to conceal them and engaging the handle proper leaving the inner faces of the hinges and the handle proper open substantially as described.

3. A casket handle proper, hinges therefor, and removable pieces having grooves upon their inner faces to receive the leaves of the hinges to conceal them, said grooves being of the same width as said leaves to strengthen them l preventing buckling thereof; substantially as described.

4. A casket handle comprising a handle proper, hinges therefor, and removable pieces fitting upon the hinges to conceal them and having a lower portion partially Gl1CO.]1lP:tSS ing the handle proper; substantially as de scribed.

5. A casket handle comprising a handle proper, hinges therefor, each hinge comprising a member or leaf secured at one end in the handle and a second leaf to which the first leaf is pivoted, and socket pieces in the handle to receive the first named leaves substantially as described.

6. A casket handle com )rising a handle proper, hinges therefor, each hinge compris ing a member or leaf secured at one end in the handle and a second leaf to which the first leaf is pivoted, dle'to receive the first named leaves, each socket piece consisting of a metal plate g reversely bent and secured in a groove in the handle proper,- substantially as described.

7. A casket handle comprising a handle proper, hinges therefor, each hinge comprismg a member or leaf secured at one end in the handle and a second leaf to which the first leaf is pivoted, and socket pieces in the handle to receive the first named leaves,

comprising a handle and socket pieces in the han- Ell) each socket piece consisting of a metal plate 9 reversely bent and arranged in a cross groove in the handle pro er and provided With flanges 11 secured to tide handle proper; substantially as described.

8. A casket handle comprising a handle proper; hinges therefor, each hinge comprising a leaf secured to the handle proper and consisting of a metal bar 6 and a metal plate 8 fitting thereover, and a second leaf pivoted to said bar and consisting of a plate 4 reversely bent and fitting over the 11 per end of the bar 6; substantially as descri ed.

9. Acasket handle com rising a proper, hinges therefor, eac hinge compristhe plate and handle proper, one leaf of each hinge consisting of a plate 4 separate from and extending through the base-plate and flat members 5 fitting against and secured to the back face of the base plate; substantially as described.

12. A casket handle comprising a base plate, having sockets 1 formed by the ornamentation of the base plate, a handle proper, hinges connecting the plate and handle proper, one leaf of each of the hinges being secured to the base plate and extending into said sockets, and the other leaf being secured handle to the handle proper and pivoted to the first leaf, and shield pieces fitting upon said ing a leafsecured to the handle proper and hinges and having their upper ends entering consisting of a metal bar 6 and a metal plate 8 fitting thereover, and a second leaf pivoted to said bar and consisting of a plate 4 reversely bent and fitting over the upper end of the bar 6, the plate 8 being of less length than the bar 6 so as to act as a sto in cooperation with the plate 4; substantia y as described.

10. A casket handle comprisinga handle proper, hinges therefor, each hinge comprising a leaf secured to the handle proper and consisting of a metal bar 6 and a metal plate 8 fitting thereover, and a second leaf pivoted to said bar and consisting of a plate 4 reversely bent and fitting over the u per end of the bar 6, said plate 4 having at attachment members 5; substantially as described.

11. A casket handle comprising a base plate, a handle proper, and hinges connecting and filling said sockets; su scribed.

. 13. A casket handle comprising a base plate, a handle proper, hinges connecting the plate and handle proper and provided with means for limiting the movements of the members of the hinges, and shield pieces fitting upon said hinges to conceal them and stantially as dehaving surfaces adapted to contact the base plate to asslst said limiting means when the handle is in raised or operative position whereby the pull or strain is longitudinal of the leaves of the hinges; substantially as described.

JOSEPH H. MILLS. l-Vitnesses S. E. KIBBEN, LOUIS B. ERWIN. 

